Showing posts with label Reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reviews. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 21, 2020
RELITIGATING BAD PUBLICITY IS A BAD IDEA
'There's no such thing as bad publicity' is often associated with Phineas T. Barnum, the 19th century American showman and circus owner. But in these days of the web, Yelp, Google, etc., that may not be true and some consumers have taken their right to an opinion to the extreme.
On December 16, 2016, an action for defamation was commenced by a real estate broker against a defendant who created a website entitled “{NAME OF BROKER}.com – The Worst Broker Ever!” which, as the court described, was a "five-page running narrative regarding defendant’s negative experience using plaintiffs’ real estate services. Plaintiffs alleged causes of action for libel, and intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress." The court denied plaintiff's motion for summary judgment finding by order dated July 25, 2018 "that plaintiffs’ libel claim was not actionable because defendant’s website, as a whole, was “pure opinion" … that defendant’s opinion about {NAME OF BROKER} being the “worst broker ever” was based on so-called “facts” – such as {NAME OF BROKER} failing to appear for a property closing ( see Steinhibler v Alphonse , 68 NY2d 283, 289 [1986] [“A pure opinion is a statement of opinion which is accompanied by a recitation of the facts upon which it is based”]). In particular, this court found defendant’s website, as a whole, to be a consumer criticism, which is not subject to libel claims ( see Themed Restaurants, Inc. v Zagat Survey, LLC , 21 AD3d 826, 827 [1st Dept 2005] [highly critical comments from reviewers in the Zagat guide of a female impersonators cabaret were mere opinion and thus protected]). Subsequently, defendant moved to dismiss the complaint and the court granted the action in 2019.
This decision was not published or reported but around the time of the decision, it appears that the defendant took down the website. So this would appear to be the end of the story but....
However, in January of this year, the plaintiff moved for re-argument which the court denied be decision dated April 13, 2020. And that decision was reported and the name of the broker was revealed to anyone who reads and reports on court decisions. The lesson - don't litigate bad publicity. If a bad review is plaguing your small business, litigation is not a way to go about dealing with the situation.
Labels:
Defamation,
Reviews,
Yelp
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
JUDICIAL REVIEW OF ARBITRATION AWARDS
Matter of O'Neill v GEICO Ins. Co., 2018 NY Slip Op 04328, Decided on June 13, 2018, Appellate Division, Second Department:
"Judicial review of arbitration awards is extremely limited (see Matter of County of Nassau v Civil Serv. Empls. Assn., 150 AD3d 1230, 1230; Matter of Fiduciary Ins. Co. v American Bankers Ins. Co. of Florida., 132 AD3d 40, 45). Pursuant to CPLR 7511(b)(1)(iii), a court may [*2]vacate an arbitration award if the arbitrator "exceeded his power or so imperfectly executed it that a final and definite award upon the subject matter submitted was not made." However, vacatur of an award pursuant to this provision is warranted " only if it violates a strong public policy, is irrational, or clearly exceeds a specifically enumerated limitation on the arbitrator's power'" (Matter of Vintage Flooring & Tile, Inc. v DCM of NY, LLC, 123 AD3d 731, 732, quoting Matter of Falzone [New York Cent. Mut. Fire Ins. Co.], 15 NY3d 530, 534; see Matter of Peterson v Katonah-Lewisboro UFSD, 134 AD3d 1125, 1125). " An award is irrational when there is no proof whatever to justify the award'" (Matter of Peterson v Katonah-Lewisboro UFSD, 134 AD3d at 1125, quoting Matter of Vintage Flooring & Tile, Inc. v DCM of NY, LLC, 123 AD3d at 732; see Matter of Falzone [New York Cent. Mut. Fire Ins. Co.], 15 NY3d at 534).
Where, as here, an arbitration award is the product of compulsory arbitration, the award " must satisfy an additional layer of judicial scrutiny—it must have evidentiary support and cannot be arbitrary and capricious'" (Matter of Liberty Mut. Fire Ins. Co. v Global Liberty Ins. Co. of N.Y., 144 AD3d 1160, 1161, quoting City School Dist. of the City of N.Y. v McGraham, 17 NY3d 917, 919 [internal quotation marks omitted]; see Matter of Motor Veh. Acc. Indem. Corp. v Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co., 89 NY2d 214, 223; Matter of Fiduciary Ins. Co. v American Bankers Ins. Co. of Florida., 132 AD3d at 46).
Here, the arbitrator's determination was rational, supported by evidence, and not arbitrary and capricious. Moreover, while the petitioner contends that the arbitrator exceeded the scope of his authority by disregarding GEICO's prior inconsistent position, taken in the no-fault context, the alleged error was, at most, an error of law which would not warrant vacatur of the arbitration award (see Matter of Falzone [New York City Cent. Mut. Fire Ins. Co.], 15 NY3d at 534)."
Labels:
Arbitration,
Reviews
Thursday, September 15, 2016
LAWYERS AND BAD REVIEWS, ETC.
There are many online articles, etc. and advice as to what an attorney should do when an online "bad review" is posted, whether on Yelp, Avvo, etc. Perhaps it is to take some action and perhaps it is to ignore.
Recently, the Nassau County Bar Association issued an ethics opinion on one thing an attorney cannot and should not do: "A lawyer may not disclose a former client's confidential information solely to respond to criticism of the lawyer posted on the Internet or a website by a relative of the former client or by the former client himself."
Nassau County Bar Association Opinion No. 2016-01(Inquiry No. 2016- 005)
Note: As a Part 137 Arbitrator in Nassau County, and as an attorney myself, I understand and accept that not everyone is going to like an attorney's work. And they will state that - to friends, online, etc. Paul Newman, the actor, once said: "don't believe the bad reviews...and don't believe the good ones either".
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
ONLINE REVIEWS- THE ASTER DENTAL CASE
From the current ABA Journal:
"Robert Allen Lee desperately needed a dentist.
Dr. Stacy Makhnevich at Aster Dental in New York City was able to squeeze Lee in to treat his toothache. When Lee arrived, the dentist required he sign a "mutual agreement to maintain privacy"—a confidentiality agreement with a nondisparagement clause that waives patients' rights to publicly comment on services and assigns copyright to the provider. Anxious for treatment, Lee signed and slid into the dentist's chair.
Though Lee found relief from his toothache, dealing with his dentist over the bill—which totaled $4,766 for the filling—became a pain. He complained about Makhnevich on Yelp and DoctorBase, another online site, claiming the dentist overcharged him and did not furnish the treatment records that would allow him to make an insurance claim and be reimbursed.
Makhnevich fought back. Armed with the privacy agreement Lee signed, she sent takedown notices to the websites hosting the complaints. She then threatened to sue Lee, sending him invoices of $100 a day for copyright infringement.
Lee returned fire. He filed suit against the dentist in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, aiming to invalidate the copyright claim.
“She charged him a lot of money. It was outrageous,” says Paul Alan Levy, an attorney with the Public Citizen Litigation Group in Washington, D.C., who works on online free speech issues and handled Lee’s case. “What he wrote was true.”
More than four years after treatment, Lee won. The court, in its 2015 ruling, termed the privacy agreement null and void, calling the contract “a deceptive act or practice in violation of New York General Business Law,” which bars deceptive business practices. Lee was awarded $4,766 in damages."
NOTE THE FOLLOWING:
According to one source: "Makhnevich and her practice disappeared after the ruling, and even her own lawyers were unable to contact her." See http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/02/dentist-said-to-hit-patients-will-pay-12k-for-trying-to-out-youtube-critic/
A google search on Dr. Makhnevich reveals that she is a "dentist, artist and opera singer" apparently now in Canada and/or in Europe (see http://www.stacymakhnevich.com)
Monday, September 28, 2015
MORE RE: THE SUIT ON THE YELP REVIEW
Here is the full decision and order on the recent "Yelp Defamation" suit. What was not reported in the press was that the "defamed" home improvement contractor was unlicensed.
"Technovate LLC v Fanelli 2015 NY Slip Op 51349(U) Decided
on September 10, 2015 Civil Court Of The City Of New York, Richmond County
Straniere, J. Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to
Judiciary Law § 431. This opinion is uncorrected and will not be published in
the printed Official Reports.
Decided on September 10, 2015
Civil Court of the City of New York, Richmond County
Technovate LLC d/b/a MR. SANDLESS OF STATEN ISLAND and MATTHEW GARDINER, Plaintiff,
against
Emily Fanelli a/k/a EMILY OLIVO, Defendant.
Emily Fanelli, Claimant, ,
against
Technovate LLC D/B/A MR. SANDLESS OF STATEN ISLAND Defendant.
003713/15
Technovate LLC and Matthew Gardiner represented by:
Jeffrey David Eisenber, ESQ.
341 Yetman Avenue,
Staten Island, NY 10307
Emily Fanelli a/k/a Emiluy Olivo Self Represented
Decided on September 10, 2015
Civil Court of the City of New York, Richmond County
Technovate LLC d/b/a MR. SANDLESS OF STATEN ISLAND and MATTHEW GARDINER, Plaintiff,
against
Emily Fanelli a/k/a EMILY OLIVO, Defendant.
Emily Fanelli, Claimant, ,
against
Technovate LLC D/B/A MR. SANDLESS OF STATEN ISLAND Defendant.
003713/15
Technovate LLC and Matthew Gardiner represented by:
Jeffrey David Eisenber, ESQ.
341 Yetman Avenue,
Staten Island, NY 10307
Emily Fanelli a/k/a Emiluy Olivo Self Represented
Philip S. Straniere, J.
"A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches." Proverbs 22:1.
Background:
Mr. Sandless, which is a national franchise, advertises itself as an "affordable wood floor refinishing without the hassle of dust, odors and long drying periods." It promotes that its chemicals are "green" certified with no mess to clean up. The service is guaranteed for five years. The website advertisement also offers traditional sanding methods.
Legal Issues:
A. Are the Internet Postings of the Defendant Libel Per Se?
In New York defamation is defined as the making of a false statement of fact which "tends to expose the plaintiff to public contempt, ridicule, aversion or disgrace" [Rinaldi v Holt, Reinhart & Winston, 42 NY2d 369, 379, cert denied 434 US 969 (1977)]. A libel action cannot be maintained unless it is based on the published assertion of fact rather than on assertions of opinion [Brian v Richardson, 87 NY2d 46 (1995)]. For defamation purposes "publication" means communicated to a third person.
B. Are the Plaintiffs Entitled to Damages?
When a plaintiff establishes that the defendant's statements amount to defamation per se, there is no need to prove special damages. The law presumes that the making of the statement inflicts harm to the plaintiff's reputation entitling the defamed plaintiff to damages. Special damages, that is economic loss, arising from the publication of the defamation to third parties, must be proven in all cases were defamation per se is not applicable.
C. Should Plaintiff Be Licensed?
Neither plaintiff, Technovate nor Gardiner is licensed as a home improvement contractor pursuant to New York City Administrative Code (NYCAC) §20-386. Plaintiffs contend that they are not required to be licensed by the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs. The statute defines a "home improvement" as "the construction, repair, replacement, remodeling, alteration, conversion, rehabilitation, renovation, modernization, improvement or addition" to a building used for residential purposes. Excluded from the definition is "painting" not incidental or related to a home improvement.
D. Defendant's Small Claims Action.
Defendant's small claims action was amended to eliminate Gardiner as an individual defendant and to allow her to proceed against Technovate LLC d/b/a Mr. Sandless of Staten [*8]Island. This entity agreed to be the named defendant even though as noted above the "contract" between the parties is between the claimant and "Mr. Sandless" as a trademarked entity at an undisclosed address but with New Jersey telephone numbers and a statement that it services Morris and Union Counties.
Conclusion:
Plaintiff Gardiner has established that he has suffered damages as a result from the per se defamatory statements posted by defendant Fanelli on-line. He is entitled to a judgment of $1,000.00 with interest from the date of judgment costs and disbursements.
Dated: September 10, 2015
Staten Island, NY
____________________________________
HON. PHILIP S. STRANIERE
Judge, Civil Court"
Labels:
Business,
Defamation,
Libel,
Reviews,
Unlicensed Contractors,
Yelp
Friday, September 25, 2015
THE SUIT ON THE YELP REVIEW
Many of been reading on the Staten Island Civil Court judge who ordered a $1000 fine on a Yelp reviewer stating the reviewer crossed the line:
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/s-woman-pay-1g-fine-bashing-business-yelp-article-1.2370681
Earlier this year, the Supreme Court, Suffolk County stated:
"Where a statement impugns the basic integrity or creditworthiness of a business, an action for
defamation lies and injury is conclusively presumed. Where, however, the statement is confined to
denigrating the quality of the business’ goods or services, it could support an action for disparagement, but will do so only if malice and special damages are shown. ( Hamlet Development Co., v. Venitt, 95 A.D.2d 798. 463 N.Y.S.2d 514 [ 2d Dept 19831 ) Herein, the plaintiff has not pled a cause of action for disparagement and it is clear that the defendant’s “review” is limited to her dissatisfaction with the plaintiffs service in installing her home theater system. As such, pursuant to the foregoing and under the circumstances presented herein, the plaintiffs have failed to plead a cause of action in libel and the motion to dismiss is granted."
CRESCENDO DESIGNS, LTD, v. JACQUELINE D. RESES, 17421/13, SUp. Ct. Suff. Co., February 3, 2015
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/s-woman-pay-1g-fine-bashing-business-yelp-article-1.2370681
Earlier this year, the Supreme Court, Suffolk County stated:
"Where a statement impugns the basic integrity or creditworthiness of a business, an action for
defamation lies and injury is conclusively presumed. Where, however, the statement is confined to
denigrating the quality of the business’ goods or services, it could support an action for disparagement, but will do so only if malice and special damages are shown. ( Hamlet Development Co., v. Venitt, 95 A.D.2d 798. 463 N.Y.S.2d 514 [ 2d Dept 19831 ) Herein, the plaintiff has not pled a cause of action for disparagement and it is clear that the defendant’s “review” is limited to her dissatisfaction with the plaintiffs service in installing her home theater system. As such, pursuant to the foregoing and under the circumstances presented herein, the plaintiffs have failed to plead a cause of action in libel and the motion to dismiss is granted."
CRESCENDO DESIGNS, LTD, v. JACQUELINE D. RESES, 17421/13, SUp. Ct. Suff. Co., February 3, 2015
Labels:
Business,
Defamation,
Libel,
Reviews,
Yelp
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)





